John Cena doesn’t have much time for WWE anymore, because his career in Hollywood took off like a rocket over the past decade. Fans know him as The Peacemaker today, but many people are just now discovering Cena as The Marine.
The Marine Gets A Second Life
John Cena’s film “The Marine” was once criticized, but it is now a hit on Netflix. The 2006 film follows a discharged marine rescuing his kidnapped wife from jewel thieves. Produced by WWE’s own Vince McMahon, it marked Cena’s acting debut and spawned a series with direct-to-video sequels.
Almost two decades later, The Marine is a global Netflix hit. Fans are clicking on John Cena’s face to see The Marine, many likely for the first time.
In the week of December 18th to 24th, The Marine had 7.6 million hours viewed, ranking 10th in the weekly Netflix Global Top 10. That means a number of fans discovered the film on streaming for the first time over Christmas.
The Marine is a two-hour film, so according to that 7.6 million total hours viewed stat, the film has been played 3.8 million times.
The 2006 film received negative reviews, labeled exaggerated or “so bad it’s good.” Now, fans are enjoying it for a multitude of reasons.
This is common for films that are just getting the Netflix treatment, as the Netflix push comes for many of them. It is always a surprise when a film that many have forgotten about has a surge in popularity.
The Marine Franchise
The good news for new fans of The Marine is that they have plenty more action ahead of them, but John Cena doesn’t star in those films.
Despite grossing $22 million against a $15 million budget, it birthed a series with five WWE-starring sequels. The first, The Marine 2, featured Ted DiBiase, Jr. in 2009, followed by sequels from 2013 to 2018, all starring Mike “The Miz” Mizanin.
John Cena’s unexpected Netflix success might draw attention to the unlikely film series. After the last Marine film, (no spoilers), we have to wonder if they will ever re-visit the franchise.